Photochromic and luminescence properties of isomeric forms of the hydronaphthyl radicals

The optical properties of the hydronaphthyl radicals produced upon radiolysis and photolysis of rigid naphthalene solutions in boric acid at 300 K and alcohol, ether and methylcyclohexane at 77 K were investigated. The ESR, absorption and luminescence spectra of the two different isomeric forms of hydronaphthyl radicals have been observed. The estimated values of the lowest electronic transition in α- and β-hydronaphthyl radicals are, respectively: E_α = 2.42 ± 0.03 eV, E_β = 2.66 ± 0.05 eV. It has been found that a reversible photo-induced interconversion between two hydroradicals takes place as well as a dark conversion from the β- to the α-isomer. Analogous photochromic behaviour of the absorption bands of biphenyl, phenanthrene, chrysene and fluorene rigid solutions have also been identified as reversible interconversion between isomeric hydroradicals.